Opening with worship, and fellowship – bring a picnic lunch and something to share for tea.

We welcome as speaker Ben Pink Dandelion, Professor of Quaker Studies at Birmingham University and Director, Centre for Postgraduate Quaker Studies at Woodbrooke. His subject is ‘The state of the Society’. He will give an overview of the latest sociological research into British Quakerism and offer some suggestions as to what it may be telling us, with a focus on the changing nature of belief, the place of belief within modern British Quakerism and the challenge facing all religious groups of balancing distinctive viewpoints with attitudes that fit within wider society.

For the ‘Work in Wales’ slot we will welcome Ruth Moore Williams who works as a chaplain in HMP Berwyn. She will talk about her work and the Quaker presence in the prison: ‘Trying not to Quake’. She asks whether Friends who have spare past copies of Quaker faith & practice would be willing to bring them to Wrexham to donate to the prison, together with any books of short poems for the men there.

Other activities this year will include helping at the Quaker stand at the Hay Festival, (end of May) where our Friend Jocelyn Bell Burnell will be one of the speakers. Jane Harris will lecture at the National Eisteddfod in August on ‘A oes Heddwch? Golwg beirniadol ar dreftadaeth heddwch Cymru ers y Rhyfel Mawr’: ‘Wales, a Peaceful Nation? A critical look at Wales’ peace heritage since WWI’. We will also have a presence at the Royal Welsh Show in July.

“Friends, as individuals and as a community, we can talk about ministry as being what’s on one’s soul and not necessarily what’s on one’s mind, it has been described as ‘what God unexpectedly drops into your lap’. I’ve been really struck in this meeting, in this community, both by the examples of individual ministry and by specific examples talked about today, which will stick with me as an articulation of what being a Quaker can do to your work life. But there’s also corporate ministry. Here is a body which, I think, knows what it is to have a calling. I am grateful to have the time here with you.” ~ Paul Parker, Recording Clerk. Quakers in Britain. October 2016